Choosing a shade structure for your business depends on a variety of factors. Whether you want to add a canopy to your outdoor restaurant or place a shade on top of a swimming pool, you need to consider what value it can provide to your space.
Although a shade structure can provide a number of benefits for every business, they are a significant investment. Hence, it is important that you put some thought into your buying decision.
The Size of the Area You Want to Shade
The first thing that you should take into consideration is the amount of space that you need to cover. It is important that you measure all the sides of the area to determine what size and type of shade will suit your needs.
If the area is less than 50 square feet, a commercial umbrella, awning, pergola, or a shade sale should do the trick.
If the area is about 200 square feet or bigger, a large shade sail, an architecturally designed tension canopy, or a pergola would be much more effective.
When deciding how much space you need to cover, you also need to determine whether there are any trees, light posts, or other objects in that space. This can help you determine whether the shade should be wall-mounted or have a free-standing base.
The Use of the Area
Knowing what the area will be used for can help you determine the best design for your shade. Find out whether there will be people walking around or sitting at tables. If they are walking around, you don’t want them to have obstacles in their path. However, if they are sitting in one place, it should not be inconvenient to have umbrella bases.
For example, an outdoor bar, café, or restaurant can benefit from commercial umbrellas or awnings. If the shade is for a park or playground, the design should be a large square or rectangular hip.
Temporary or Fixed Shade Structure
One of the most important considerations to make is to figure out whether you need a permanent or temporary shade structure. This gives you the added convenience of removing the shade when necessary.
If you are looking for a fixed shade structure, a tension membrane or canopy would be a good choice. But if you just want a temporary shade, an outdoor umbrella, retractable awning, and shade sale can be a nice choice.
Sun-Proof or Weather-Proof
One question that many people forget to consider is whether their shade should provide protection from the sun only, or protection from the weather also. If you want superior protection from the sun, a shade sail or a tension membrane made from shade cloth that provides good UV protection is more appropriate.
If you want protection from the rain as well, we recommend the use of outdoor umbrellas, shade sails, or pergolas. You can also use architecturally designed tension membranes or canopies made of PVC or other waterproof material.
Explore the Features
Shade structures come in all sorts of innovative features. You can choose the color, material, and pattern of the shade, get a shade structure that rotates or buy one with vertical panels that protect from the rain. If you want to keep your umbrellas erected all year round, you also have the choice to get ones with retractable arms.
In addition, we also give you a wide range of add-ons for your shade structure. These include LED lights for the use of umbrellas at night, USB outlets so that visitors may be able to charge their phones, fans for the summer season, and heaters for the winter season.
At Shade’n Net, we want to make sure you get the right shade structure for your space. Once you have figured out the answers to all the above factors, we can help you find the shade structure that provides the most value for your business. Reach out to us today!